1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the porthole art and more particularly through an improved porthole arrangement particularly adapted for utilization on boats.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Porthole arrangements have long been utilized on boats. However, there has also recently been an increase in the utilization of porthole type arrangements on such things as recreational vehicles, motor homes, mini-motor homes and vans. The improved porthole arrangements described herein, while described as utilized on a boat, may equally well be utilized in any other type of structure, mobile or stationary, where the particular features of the improved porthole arrangement are found desirable.
In boat applications it is often desirable to maintain the porthole in an open position in order to provide ventilation to the interior of the boat. However, during rain storms and/or when the boat is rolling or pitching due to wind or wave action, it has been found that with conventional porthole arrangements water tends both to accumulate within the porthole structure and, depending upon the amount, spill into the interior of the boat and also that rain tends to splash upon the porthole structure and, with the porthole open, splash into the interior of the boat. The splashing of the rain water into the interior of the boat is aggravated when the boat is also rolling since periodically a greater projected area of the open porthole will be exposed to the rain.
Further in many instances, vehicles such as boats are often left unattended for extended periods of time with the window thereof in a closed position. In such instances, water, from rain, condensation, spray, or the like, tends to accumulate in the porthole. Consequently, when the window is thereafter opened, such accumulated water often flows into the interior of the vehicle.
Additionally, in many boats the walls of a cabin thereon are angled upwardly so that the installation of a porthole therein increases the projected area thereof exposed to rain as well as increasing the amount of water which may accumulate therein.
Certain prior art structures have attempted to alleviate this condition. One such device as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,169 shows a self-draining window sill but is not particularly adaptable, because of its complex nature, to many applications and cannot be conveniently or economically fabricated.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,791,011 shows another version of a drain arrangement from windows, glass doors, and the like but does not provide either adequate draining of all the water which may accumulate or any protection against the splash up of rain water into the interior of the structure upon which such a device is mounted.
Many other prior art patents such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 719,416, 1,752,794, 1,763,464, 2,377,863, 1,605,388, 1,771,514, 591,707, 1,750,695, 1,648,445, 960,926, and 2,348,886, all show various arrangements for similar devices but none are proven to be completely satisfactory for draining the accumulated water as well as preventing splash up of rain water into the interior of the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,636,660 shows another type of window draining arrangement with a drainage system provided therein but which is not particularly adapted to prevent the splash up of water into the interior of the structure.
Accordingly, it has long been desirable to provide a porthole arrangement, particularly useful on boats, in which water is prevented from accumulating in the porthole structure and spilling into the interior of the boat and also rain water is prevented from splashing up and into the interior of the boat, thus allowing the porthole to be maintained in an open position for desired ventilation without taking on board large amounts of water. It will be appreciated, of course, that in boat applications, particularly, where the boat is rolling to such a degree that the lower edge of the porthole will be submerged for any period of time below the water level due to a combination of the roll and wave and/or wind action, the porthole must be maintained closed in order to prevent flooding of the interior. However, where the porthole is sufficiently above the expected water level it has been found that the porthole constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention may be maintained in an open position over a wider range of roll angles and/or rain or spray angles than portholes heretofore available.